Embroidery-frame.



T. OKIHARA.

EMBROIDERY FRAME.

APPLICATIpN FILED MAY 2. 19:8.

Patented Apr. I 29, 1919.

WITNESSES IIlH EIVTOR 17 TTOR/I/EVS TANEZO OKII-IARA, 0F HONOLULU, TERRITORY OF HAWAII.

EMBROIDERY-FRAME.

1,3(l2AL21.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented la. ea, ieia.

Application filed May 2, 1918. Serial No. 232,099.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known: that I, TANEZO OKIHARA a subject of the Emperor of Japan, and a resident of the city of Honolulu, county of Honolulu, and Territory of Hawaii, have invented a new and Improved Embroidery- Frame, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates. to embroidery frames and more particularly to an embroidery frame having rollers to receive the fabric.

An important object of the invention is to provide an embroidery frame of the indicated character, in which the effective size of the frame may be varied to accord with a larger or smaller piece of material to be worked. The said obj ect is attained by providing the side bars of the frame with bearingson their ends to receive the respective rollers, and with intermediate bearings between and distant from the end bearings whereby the .rollers' may be positioned to turn respectively in the said end bearings or one ,roller be shifted to the; intermediate bearings to thus reduce the effective size of the frame one half or approximately so.

More specific objects of the invention are to provide a ratchet and pawl control for the rollers in either adjustment of the frame, and to provide a knock-down frame including attachable legs that may be readily applied to the frame and variously positionable thereon irrespective of the relative location of the rollers and in a manner that the legs will offer no obstruction when the frame is in actual use.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embroidery frame embodying my invention; I

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 3--3, Fig. 1. I

In constructing a practical embodiment of my invention the frame may be made of any suitable size and of any suitable material. The said frame includes longitudinal side bars 1O, 11 and transverse rollers 12, said rollers being of the type having longitudinal strips 13 to clamp the fabric A in slots 14 in the respective rollers. On each roller near an end thereof a ratchet wheel 15 is secured and on the frame bar (10) adjacent to the ratchet wheels stops 16 are pivoted, as at 17. These stops are laterally movable parallel to the top surface of the frame bar and transversely movable relative to the plane of rotation of the ratchet wheels and are so arranged relative to such ratchet wheels as to be thrown into and out of engagement with the interdental spaces of such ratchet wheels when the rollers 12 are in bearing in the frame bars 10 and 11. These stops 16 are preferably vane shape, having one side shorter than the other, the shorter side being arranged on the inside of the stop, or nearer the ratchet wheel, thereby forming an inclined outer edge where the stop enters the interdental spaces of the ratchet wheels to wedge, stop and lock the ratchet wheels in the desired position. These stops are so arranged that the entering edge of the inclined stop easily enters the interdental spaces of the ratchet wheels, but such inclined edge is so arranged relative to its inclination that the stop cannot completely sweep through the interdental spaces, thereby forming a poslt ve lock against themovement of the I ratchet wheel and providing a means for taking up the frictional wear on the stop.

It will be observed that these stops 16 swing in a plane parallel to the upper surface of the frame bars 10; consequently, to release the rollers 12 it is merely necessary to push the shorter side of the stop outward and gradually, not suddenly, release the work from tension, which is a great improvement over the ordinary form of ratchet both in operation and effectiveness.

Another particular advantage of this form of stop is, that owing to its inclined entering edge, the wear upon the abutting parts, that is the interdental spaces of the ratchet wheels, can be compensated.

Bearings are provided at the ends of the 1 frame bars 10, 11 in which the rollers 12 are journaled; the bearings at one end are produced by forming forks 18 on one side bar, as 11, thereby presenting longitudinal slots receiving the journals of the rollers at one end. The opposite side bar (as 10) has transverse holes 10 therein at each end through which the adjacent ournals of the respective rollers are passed, said journals receiving set collars 12 outside of the bar 10.

In order to adjust Or rearrange the frame to reduce the effective size thereof by reducing distance between the rollers 12, I provide in the frame bars 10, intermediate bearings approximately midway between the end bearings in which intermediate bearings one of the rollers may be journaled. The intermediate bearing in one frame bar 10 is in the form of a transverse hole indicated at 19 through which the journal of roller 12 having the ratchet wheel may be passed. The bearing in the opposite frame bar 11 is in the form of a slot 20 which extends downwardly through the upper surface or top edge of the frame bar and is reentrant or undercut by extending its lower end toward an end of the frame bar. Thus a roller 12 may be journaled in the intermediate hearing by passing one journal through the hole 19 and dropping the other journal into the slot 20. Obviously with one roller in the intermediate bearings the effective size of the frame will be reduced approximately one half, said bearings being about midway between the ends of the side bars. Thus the embroidery frame may be adjusted to suit a larger or a smaller piece of fabric to be worked.

It will be seen that the frame may be disassembled by removing the rollers from their bearin s. I provide also for the frame, and in conformity with its knock-down character, legs 21 readily attachable and detachable, there being three of such legs, two being disposed beneath one frame bar, as at the left of Fig. 1, and one in a central position beneath the other side bar. Each leg is formed at its upper end with a fork 21 thereby presenting a slot 2-2 for receiving the frame bar to which the leg is applied, as the legs may be slipped into position or readily removed.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the mechanical details herein illustrated, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention asdefined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

An embroidery frame including side bars having bearings, rollers jo-urnaled in said bearings and adapted to receive and carry the fabric to be worked, a ratchet wheel on each roller, and stops located on the frame and movable in a lateral plane at right angles to the plane of rotation of the said ratchets and having an inclined outer edge adapted to enter the interdental spaces of the said ratchet wheels, locking said wheels in position and taking up the frictional wear of the abutting parts.

TANEZO OKIHARA.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0; 

